Summary: A haunted-house experiment finds that a “just right” level of fear—enough to raise heart rate but not overwhelm—maximizes enjoyment.
Source: APS
Chainsaw-wielding maniacs, brain-eating zombies, and sudden jump scares are familiar elements in horror films and commercial haunted-house attractions. In non-pandemic years these experiences draw large crowds of thrill-seekers every Halloween season. But why do people actively seek out fear in recreational settings, and what makes those experiences enjoyable instead of purely unpleasant?
New research accepted for publication in the journal Psychological Science finds that horror is most entertaining when it elicits a measurable but moderate physiological response—specifically changes in heart rate—rather than an extreme or prolonged arousal that becomes distressing. The research identifies an individualized “sweet spot” of fear where enjoyment peaks.
“By investigating how humans derive pleasure from fear, we find that there seems to be a ‘sweet spot’ where enjoyment is maximized,” said Marc Malmdorf Andersen, a researcher at the Interacting Minds Center at Aarhus University and lead author of the study.
“Our study provides some of the first empirical evidence on the relationship between fear, enjoyment, and physical arousal in recreational forms of fear.”
Previous work in this area has suggested that physiological arousal—such as a quickened pulse and hormone release—helps explain why many people enjoy horror media and attractions. Yet until now, studies had not simultaneously examined subjective reports, observable behavior, and physiological data in a realistic fear-inducing environment. This study closes that gap by combining self-reports, recorded behavior, and continuous heart rate monitoring.
To study how people experience recreational fear, Andersen and colleagues recruited 110 participants who walked through a commercial haunted-house attraction in Vejle, Denmark. Each participant wore a heart rate monitor that recorded continuous data while they navigated the attraction’s nearly 50 rooms. Researchers also observed participants in real time through closed-circuit cameras and later had independent coders analyze behavioral reactions to the scariest moments. After completing the attraction, participants rated how frightened and how much they enjoyed each encounter.
The attraction provided a live-action, immersive horror experience that frequently used jump scares—sudden appearances or charges by zombies and other figures—to provoke immediate reactions. By comparing self-reported fear and enjoyment with camera-coded behavior and heart rate signatures, the research team could assess how subjective experience, observable responses, and physiological arousal aligned during recreational fear.
What Is Recreational Fear?
Recreational fear is the mixed emotional state in which people experience fear and enjoyment at the same time. Fear is typically an unpleasant protective emotion, but humans sometimes seek out frightening stimuli—movies, books, and live attractions—for entertainment. Earlier laboratory studies often used brief video clips and artificial settings that produced only modest physiological responses, making it difficult to establish a clear link between arousal and enjoyment. This study used a real-world setting where emotional responses are stronger and more natural.
Conducting research in a busy haunted attraction introduced logistical challenges, but it also produced richer and more ecologically valid data. Participants in the attraction were often visibly screaming with a blend of fear and delight, allowing the researchers to capture stronger physiological and behavioral signals than typical laboratory-based setups.
Discovering the “Goldilocks Zone”
When the researchers plotted self-reported fear against enjoyment, they observed an inverted U-shaped curve: enjoyment was low when fear was minimal, rose to a peak at moderate fear levels, and then declined as fear became too intense. This pattern indicates a Goldilocks or “just-right” zone of fear that maximizes enjoyment.
Heart rate data mirrored this pattern. Moderate deviations from a person’s typical physiological state—brief increases in heart rate associated with startling but manageable scares—were linked to higher enjoyment. In contrast, very large or prolonged fluctuations in heart rate, characterized by repeated spikes and extended arousal, tended to correspond with lower enjoyment and more unpleasant sensations.
Andersen notes that this pattern resembles principles of human play and curiosity, where moderate uncertainty and surprise are enjoyable, while too little or too much violates the balance that makes the activity pleasurable. In other words, horror fans often “play” with fear: the experience feels rewarding when surprises are neither trivial nor overwhelming.
These findings help explain why some people seek out haunted houses and scary media while others avoid them: individuals differ in how much arousal they find pleasurable, and enjoyment depends on staying within their personal Goldilocks zone. The study’s combination of subjective, behavioral, and physiological measures strengthens the argument that moderate physiological arousal is a central ingredient in recreational fear.
Source: APS
Contact: Press Office – APS
Image: The image is in the public domain
Original Research: The study will appear in Psychological Science.